How Should We Then Vote? - Part II - Women

     There are qualification for church rulers.  A woman should want to marry a man who meets certain qualifications.  What qualifications are there for government rulers?  

     In Exodus 18 we read about when Jethro came to see Moses.  All the children of Israel were coming to Moses to inquire of God.  Jethro told him that God wanted him to set up rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens to judge all of the small matters, so that they would just bring the large matters to Moses.  In Deuteronomy 1 the Bible tells how Moses chose all of these rulers.  He held a political election and made rulers of those whom the children of Israel chose.

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     There were certain qualifications that these men had to meet in order to be chosen as rulers.  Exodus says, "...thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness..."  Deuteronomy says, "...wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes..."  Later in 2 Samuel 23:3 God said, "He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God."

     Before we look at these qualifications in more depth, I would like to note a couple of things.  First, God never said a government official must be a christian, nor did He give us an extensive list of current issues that he must be right on.  But, rather, a few basic qualifications he must meet.  Second, whatever our current relationship to the law is supposed to be, God never changes and He has eternal principles which always apply.

     The first things mentioned in Exodus 18:21, are that they were supposed to be chosen out of all the people, (they were not supposed to be foreigners), and they were to be able men.  God chose to specify that these were to supposed to be men, not women.  This fits with the order of creation and the purposes for which men and women were created.  I think it's worth noting, that in the two other institutions God created, namely the church and the home, he chose men to be the leaders.  In today's political world we need men in government, who are not just males, but manly and bold. 

     When God set up the priesthood in Israel only men were allowed to be priests.  And when God set up a monarchy in Israel, He chose first Saul, then David, and when he was old God chose Solomon, not Bathsheba!  However, there is a big question, "What about Deborah?!"  To answer that, first, does one example in the book of Judges trump every other precept and principle in the Bible?  Second, the other judges in the book of Judges not only gave judgements but also were the chief executive and led the military.  Deborah, on the other hand, was a prophetess, a wife, and a mother and people would come to her under a tree to be judged.  When God wanted someone to lead the country and wage war, He chose Barak.  Barak appears to have been a coward though, and not a good leader, so the honor went to a woman, Jael. (Barak is the only one mentioned in the New Testament.)  Contrast that with the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31, who was occupied keeping the home and her husband was sitting in the gates with the elders of the land. 

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     In Isaiah 3 when God was pronouncing woe upon the wicked, he said that women would rule over them.  The only female monarch Judah ever had was Athaliah.  And, the most prominent woman in Israeli politics was Jezebel!  Our country is under judgement of God, and we see ladies increasingly in government positions. 

     To sum this all up, God's plan is for men to lead in the government, and women are only government rulers in times of judgement.  I believe that God wants us to vote for able men as it says in Exodus, and even the example of Deborah fits with this idea.  This means I could not vote for McCain, no matter how good he or Sarah Palin were.  But, Obama got in!  What's worse than Obama getting in?  The church, as ambassadors for Christ, voting for people who do not fit God's qualifications is worse.  God's blessing makes a nation great, not another politician.